Samuel Stephens is a pastor, speaker, author, and the president of India Gospel League (IGL), an indigenous mission agency headquartered in Salem, Tamil Nadu, South India. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in arts from the Madras University in 1973. He did his post-graduate theological studies in missions at the Union Biblical Seminary in Central India and graduated in 1977 from the Serampore University with a degree in divinity. He also received his doctor of ministry in leadership and global perspectives from George Fox University. Samuel joined the ministry in 1976 as a barefoot pastor. In 1988, shortly after the death of his father, Sam took over as president of IGL. Though he had learned much on the field and was being groomed to take the helm, he wondered if he was really ready. By God's grace, he moved IGL forward, establishing international support as well as a new vision.

As he stated in one of his earlier books, The Kairos Moment: "Now is the time. We need to see the world with a Kingdom perspective. I'm speaking of God's vision for every culture, tongue, and tribe in my country and around the world." It has been under Sam's leadership that unprecedented and substantial growth has happened with up to 100,000 new churches planted in India since 1992. That growth continues to explode and multiply.